As New Jersey strawberries, arugula and summer squash come into season, we’re reminded once again of the good fortune of living in a state where produce picked in the morning can be on the dinner table in the evening.

One young farmer who helps make that possible is Jessica Niederer who for five years has worked Chickadee Creek Farm, an organic operation in Hopewell Township.

Last week, state Secretary of Agriculture Douglas Fisher visited Chickadee Creek to get a first-hand look at what Niederer has accomplished on the land that’s been in her family for generations. It was part of an effort to highlight New Jersey’s organic farming industry, The Times’ Brendan McGrath reported, as well as the state’s Community Supported Agriculture program.

Organic farming involves working in harmony with nature rather than attempting to manipulate it. Typically, an organic farmer will use cultural, mechanical and biological methods to promote healthy soil, suppress disease and manage weeds and insects without using synthetic fertilizers and pesticides.

There’s a growing demand for the fruits of organic labor.

“Organic agriculture continues to be the fastest growing agricultural sector in the United States and around the world,” says the U.S. Department of Agriculture. “Consumer demand in the organic sector has grown by more than 10 percent (in some years, 20 percent or more) for over a decade.”

The USDA Economic Research Service estimates that 20,000 natural food stores and 73 percent of conventional grocery stores now offer organic products.

Another means of obtaining the freshest possible produce is through the
Community Supported Agriculture program. A group of people pledge to support farm operations, such as Niederer’s, in advance of the growing season. In return, they receive shares of the farm’s bounty throughout the season.

Niederer also sells the organic produce through farmers markets and directly to restaurants.

The Northeast Organic Farming Association of New Jersey anticipates the number of organic operations to increase.

“We have seen a marked increase in the number of acres in transition to organic certification, which is a three-year period prior to certification during which the land is farmed organically,” says Justine Cook, the association’s director of farm operations.

The state is helping in that regard by offering grants to assist farmers with the costs of becoming certified organic producers.

We salute those whose efforts, individually and collectively, are nurturing the farms of the Garden State and making them flourish.